- 62islands & islets
- 7main islands
- 1994Sardinia's first national park
- 20,180 haof land & sea protected
- 15–20 mincar ferry Palau → La Maddalena
A Protected Paradise in the Strait of Bonifacio
The Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago di La Maddalena was created by Law No. 10 of 4 January 1994 — the first national park in Sardinia. It spans 20,180 hectares of land and sea (5,134 hectares of land and 15,046 hectares of marine area), stretching along 180 km of coastline and 62 islands and islets in the channel between Sardinia and Corsica.
Three giants of history are tied to these islands: Napoleon Bonaparte (his failed 1793 assault), Admiral Horatio Nelson (who based his fleet here in 1804 before Trafalgar), and Giuseppe Garibaldi (who spent his last 26 years on Caprera and died there in 1882). Crucially for visitors, almost every island except La Maddalena itself is uninhabited and environmentally protected — and most of the best coves can only be reached from the water. For a deeper look at the coves themselves, see our guide to the best beaches in Sardinia and the archipelago.
From Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Boat Tour
The best place to start: the most-reviewed La Maddalena tour on the platform cruises the heart of the archipelago in a single day — Spargi, Budelli and Santa Maria with swim stops, a Pink Beach viewing and free time in La Maddalena town — departing from both Palau and La Maddalena.
National Park landing fee (€2.50–€5, cash) paid at check-in. Check live dates and book on the right.
The 7 Main Islands of the La Maddalena Archipelago
Seven main islands anchor the archipelago, surrounded by more than 50 smaller islets. Here's what each is known for — and whether you can reach it by road.
La Maddalena — the beating heart
The largest island and the only one with a significant town, founded in 1770 under the House of Savoy and facing Palau across the strait. The parish church preserves a crucifix and two silver candlesticks donated by Admiral Nelson in 1804. A 45 km panoramic perimeter road links excellent beaches — Bassa Trinità, Cala Spalmatore and Punta Tegge — for its roughly 10,449 inhabitants. Most full-day trips end with free time in the town, like this full-day archipelago boat trip from Palau or La Maddalena.
Caprera — Garibaldi's island
Connected to La Maddalena by the 600-metre Passo della Moneta bridge (built 1958). Giuseppe Garibaldi lived here from 1856 until his death in 1882; his home, the Casa Bianca, is now the heart of the Compendio Garibaldino, one of Italy's most-visited museums. Beaches include the famous Cala Coticcio (the "Tahiti of Sardinia," Zone A protected, guided access only), Spiaggia del Relitto and Cala Napoletana. You can cruise its coast, including the Cala Coticcio side, on this Caprera, Spargi, Budelli & Santa Maria boat tour.
Spargi — wild beauty and Roman shipwrecks
Uninhabited and accessible only by sea. Its signature beach is Cala Corsara — voted Italy's most beautiful beach in 2016 — and offshore lies the Spargi Roman shipwreck, a cargo vessel from the 2nd century BC excavated from 1958. Other coves include Cala Granara, Cala Soraya and Cala Conneri (Cala dell'Amore). Spargi is a swim stop on the best-selling full-day archipelago boat tour.
Budelli — the Pink Beach and the hermit
Home to Spiaggia Rosa (the Pink Beach), whose sand owes its colour to the foraminifer Miniacina miniacea. The beach has been under Zone A integral protection since the 1990s — no landing, no swimming, no anchoring. Mauro Morandi, the "hermit of Budelli," lived alone on the island for 32 years until 2021. You'll see Spiaggia Rosa from the water on this catamaran day cruise with lunch.
Santa Maria — the lagoon and the largest beach
The easternmost of the northern trio. Cala Santa Maria stretches over 200 metres — the largest beach in the archipelago — with a gently sloping sandy seabed and crystal-clear water. The island was once home to Benedictine monks. Cala Santa Maria is a swim stop on this island-hopping sailing tour with lunch.
Razzoli — granite cliffs and the wildest island
The smallest and most rugged of the northern trio, and the closest to Corsica. Its signature feature is the fjord-like inlet of Cala Lunga, and much of its northern coast is integral reserve. A small-group RIB tour of the archipelago is the surest way to reach it. Read the full Razzoli & natural pools guide →
Santo Stefano — the island of secret history
The smallest of the seven main islands. From the early 1970s until 2008 it hosted a NATO naval base serving as home port for US Navy submarine tenders. The base was formally disestablished in early 2008; the Italian Navy retains a presence and access remains restricted. Some small-group trips, like this 7-islands skippered boat tour, swim off Santo Stefano.
The Best Boat Tours of the La Maddalena Archipelago
There's no road access to the uninhabited islands — a guided boat tour from Palau is the only practical way to reach Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria and the natural pools. Here are the highest-rated options, from small skippered boats to the classic full-day group cruise.
The Island-Hopping Day We Recommend Starting With
If you want to see as much of the archipelago as possible in one day, a small skippered boat covers the most ground with swim stops at island after island — Santo Stefano, Caprera and the national-park coves — at a relaxed full-day pace in several languages.
La Maddalena: 7 Islands, 7 Stops, All-Day Guided Boat Tour
Why we recommend it: a 12-guest skippered boat built around covering the archipelago island by island — drinks, park fees and a friendly skipper all included, with a lunch break in La Maddalena town and plenty of swim time at each stop.
A small-group day across the national park with swimming and snorkelling at Santo Stefano, Caprera and the archipelago's clearest coves, plus a break to explore La Maddalena town. A comfortable middle ground between a fast RIB and a big group boat.
- Small-group skippered boat (about 12 guests)
- Swim & snorkel stops at several islands
- Drinks and National Park fees included
- Lunch break in La Maddalena town
- Relaxed full-day pace in four languages
Exact islands vary with the wind and park rules. Check live dates and book on the right.
Sardinia: La Maddalena Archipelago Full-Day Trip by Boat
A calmer take on the classic group-boat day on newer, ISO-certified boats with a smartphone audio guide and a Sardinian bar-restaurant — visiting Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria and La Maddalena town. Departs Palau or La Maddalena.
Maddalena Archipelago: Island-Hopping Sailing Tour with Lunch
A 4.9-star island-hopping day under sail to Spargi, Budelli and the Budelli natural pools, with lunch, an aperitif and drinks on board and a small group on a comfortable yacht — the calm, scenic way to see the islands.
Porto della Madonna: The Archipelago's Natural Swimming Pools
The most famous stretch of water in the park — and the heart of nearly every boat tour's day.
Between Budelli, Razzoli and Santa Maria lies Porto della Madonna — the Piscine Naturali, or Natural Pools — a shallow, impossibly clear lagoon considered one of the most beautiful stretches of water in the Mediterranean. Sheltered on three sides by the islands, it's the highlight of most archipelago cruises, where boats stop and swimmers enter the water in the permitted outer zone.
Beyond the seven main islands, more than 50 smaller islets dot the park, and the archipelago's waters fall within the Pelagos Sanctuary, an 87,500 km² marine protected area for Mediterranean marine mammals.
Good to know: the centre of the pools is a swim-only zone — no navigating or anchoring — and big tours may only cruise the shared outer area.
A Sanctuary for Dolphins, Turtles and Seagrass Meadows
The archipelago is a geomarine park — protecting the sea as much as the land.
Eight whale & dolphin species
The waters fall within the Pelagos Sanctuary, where eight cetacean species occur regularly — including bottlenose and striped dolphins, fin whales and sperm whales.
Loggerheads in clear water
Loggerhead sea turtles range through the archipelago, part of the rich marine life that makes the park's protected status so important.
Posidonia meadows
Vast Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows carpet the seabed — the natural filter that keeps the water so astonishingly clear, and the reason anchoring is restricted.
Wind-sculpted granite
Pink-tinged granite shaped by the mistral wind gives the islands their dramatic coves and the famous formations like Spargi's Witch Rock.
Getting There, Park Rules and the Best Time to Go
There's no direct road access to the archipelago — it can only be reached by sea. The main gateway is the port of Palau, about 40 km from Olbia.
Getting there
Ferries cross from Palau to La Maddalena in 15–20 minutes (Delcomar and Maddalena Lines, every 15–30 minutes in summer). The uninhabited islands — Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria, Razzoli and Santo Stefano — have no public ferry and no roads; a guided boat tour from Palau is the only practical way to reach them.
Best time to visit
June and September are the sweet spot — warm water, long days and far fewer crowds than the August peak. The season runs roughly May to October; book everything well in advance for July and August.
Park fees & rules
All boats need a paid park permit, mooring is regulated, and Zone A areas are off-limits. Tour passengers pay a landing fee of about €2.50–€5 in cash. Cala Coticcio on Caprera is capped at 60 people a day with a mandatory guide.
Respect the rules
Never take sand, don't attempt to land on the Pink Beach, and choose operators who follow park regulations. The most beautiful spots are protected areas you can admire only from the water — figures and fees change seasonally, so verify before you go.
The La Maddalena Archipelago: Frequently Asked Questions
The islands, what you can reach by car, and the best way to see the park — answered.
How many islands are in the La Maddalena Archipelago?
The archipelago is made up of 62 islands, islets and rocks across about 180 km of coastline. Seven main islands anchor it — La Maddalena, Caprera, Spargi, Santo Stefano, Santa Maria, Budelli and Razzoli — surrounded by more than 50 smaller islets. The whole archipelago has been protected as the Parco Nazionale dell'Arcipelago di La Maddalena, Sardinia's first national park, since 1994.
What are the 7 main islands of La Maddalena?
The seven main islands are La Maddalena (the only one with a town), Caprera (linked to La Maddalena by a bridge and home to Garibaldi's house), Spargi (Cala Corsara), Santo Stefano (a former NATO naval base), Santa Maria (the archipelago's largest beach), Budelli (the Pink Beach) and Razzoli (the wildest, closest to Corsica).
Can you visit all 7 islands in one day?
Not all seven up close, but a full-day boat tour from Palau typically cruises past or stops at four or five of them — usually Spargi, Budelli (with the natural pools and a Pink Beach viewing), Santa Maria, and sometimes Caprera and Santo Stefano — in a single day. To explore La Maddalena town and Caprera on foot or by car, add a separate day.
Which La Maddalena islands can you reach by car or ferry?
Only La Maddalena island, reached by a 15–20 minute car ferry from Palau, and bridge-connected Caprera are accessible by road. The uninhabited islands — Spargi, Budelli, Santa Maria, Razzoli and Santo Stefano — have no roads and no public ferry, so a guided boat tour from Palau is the only practical way to reach them.
Is the La Maddalena Archipelago worth visiting?
Yes. It holds some of the Mediterranean's clearest water and most dramatic granite beaches, all inside a protected national park, plus genuine history — Napoleon, Nelson and Garibaldi are all tied to the islands. The best plan is one full day on a boat tour for the uninhabited islands and natural pools, and a separate day for La Maddalena town and Caprera.
When is the best time to visit the archipelago?
June and September are the sweet spot — warm water, long days and far fewer crowds than the August peak. Budget for the National Park landing fee and strict anchoring and zoning rules, and remember that the most beautiful spots are protected areas you can admire only from the water.
Other Experiences You Might Enjoy
Build your trip around the water — these are the experiences most visitors pair with an archipelago day.
The classic way to see the park is a full-day La Maddalena Archipelago boat tour from Palau, cruising to Spargi and Cala Corsara, the Budelli natural pools and the Pink Beach, with a swim stop at Santa Maria. Catamaran day cruises and island-hopping sailing tours add a Sardinian lunch with wine, and a small-group RIB tour is the surest way to reach the wilder coves around Razzoli and the Porto della Madonna natural pools.
Save a separate day for La Maddalena town and Caprera, where Garibaldi's Casa Bianca is now a museum, and consider the guided hike to Cala Coticcio — the "Tahiti of Sardinia" — if you book ahead. Sunset and aperitif cruises off Spargi are an easy evening add-on, and the wider Costa Smeralda beaches are within reach by car.